Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III suggested on Wednesday, September 19, to revise a part of the lyrics of the National Anthem.
Sotto said this because he thinks the last line of Lupang Hinirang is defeatist and expresses acceptance of being conquered.
Being a composer himself, Sotto deemed that “ang ipaglaban ang kalayaan mo” would be more fitting than the current last line of Lupang Hinirang, “ang mamatay nang dahil sa’yo.”
He clarified that he will not the revision will not be immediate and asked his fellow senators to study his suggestion, reported the Inquirer.
Lupang Hinirang was composed by accomplished musician Julian Felipe and José Palma wrote the poem “Filipinas” that later became the lyrics of the National Anthem.
